Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the eldest daughter of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the pioneer of the country’s economic transformation, steps into 77 today.
A visionary leader, Sheikh Hasina is going to make history of running the country for 20 years as prime minister in January next. She is the country’s lone premier who has been in office for 15 years in a row.
Bangladesh earned a dignified position on the global stage as the country has made huge achievements on all fronts thanks to the dynamic and prudent leadership of Sheikh Hasina.
Various mega infrastructure projects like Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Dhaka Metro Rail, Dhaka Elevated Expressway have been constructed by the government of Sheikh Hasina.
Padma Bridge has been constructed on the mighty Padma River with internal resources and it has become possible due to Sheikh Hasina’s courageous initiative after the World Bank withdrew its $ 1.2billion loan.
Sheikh Hasina, also the president of the Awami League, first led her party to office through 1996 general election, 21 years after the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15 in 1975. She took oath as premier on June 23 in that year.
She formed the government for the second time on January 6 after winning the December 29, 2008 election with an absolute majority in parliament.
She took oath as premier for the consecutive second term on January 12 after winning the January 5, 2014 elections boycotted by the BNP-led alliance.
Sheikh Hasina took oath as the prime minister for the consecutive third term on January 7 in 2019. Words will fail to depict the contributions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the nation. She is the lighthouse of the nation as she guiding the economy towards the shore of development.
When Sheikh Hasina stepped into politics, Bangladesh was known for poverty, natural disasters, political ups and down and it was a foreign aid-dependent country.
Under her dynamic and prudent leadership, the country’s image has brightened. Bangladesh is now a role model of development for other countries in the world.
Sheikh Hasina, the eldest child of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, was born at Tungipara in Gopalganj district on this day in 1947, a historic year when the Indian sub-continent was partitioned into India and Pakistan.
Awami League and its affiliated bodies along with different socio-cultural organisations will celebrate Sheikh Hasina’s birthday through various programmes.
Sheikh Hasina is now staying in the USA after attending the 78th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Through the programmes, Awami League leaders will highlight the struggling life of Sheikh Hasina and the achievements the country made under her charismatic leadership.
Sheikh Hasina is driving the nation towards prosperity following the footsteps of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Awami League also organise a discussion tomorrow at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital on the occasion. Senior leaders will address the programme.
Sheikh Hasina spent much of her childhood in Tungipara where she was born. She started her schooling there. When Bangabandhu was elected a legislator, his family shifted to Dhaka in 1954.
She was enrolled at Sher-e-Bangla Girls’ School and College and later at Azimpur Girls’ High School from where she completed her secondary education in 1965. She was then admitted to Badrunnessa Government Girls College.
During her bachelor’s course, she was elected vice-president of the students union of Eden Girls College. Later, she enrolled for Masters programme at Bengali Department of Dhaka University.
As a student leader, Sheikh Hasina actively took part in the six-point movement of 1966 and the student movement of 1969 which saw the abdication of General Ayub Khan. In 1967, Sheikh Hasina got married to nuclear scientist Wazed Miah.
During the Liberation War, Sheikh Hasina and her family were detained in a house in Dhaka. On July 27 in 1971, her first child Sajeeb Wazed Joy was born. Her second child Saima Wazed Hossain Putul was born on December 9, 1972.
After the assassination of her parents along with almost all family members in 1975, Sheikh Hasina and her family were offered political asylum in India, where she stayed till 1981. In that year, she was elected as the president of the Awami League in her absence.
Sheikh Hasina returned home on May 17, 1981 when she was greeted by thousands of people standing on the road from the Airport to Farm Gate and Manik Miah Avenue.
In the 1986 parliamentary election, she was elected as parliament member from three different constituencies. After the overthrow of autocracy in 1990, she was elected as the Leader of the Opposition in the House.
Sheikh Hasina got many accolades and awards in recognition of her leadership excellence and intellectual flair.
She penned more than 25 books, including ‘Mujib Amar Pita, ‘Living in Tears’, ‘Sada Kalo’ and ‘Amara Janaganer Kotha Bolte Esechhi.’
BDST: 1027 HRS, SEP 28, 2023
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